Introduction

Natural disasters displace millions of people every year, leaving families without shelter, security, or dignity. Emergency responses often prioritize speed over livability, resulting in temporary shelters that fail to support long-term recovery. This competition invites designers to rethink disaster relief housing as a humane, resilient, and adaptable solution—one that can be rapidly deployed while restoring a sense of home, identity, and community.

Objective

Participants are challenged to design a disaster relief housing system that is:

• Rapid to deploy and easy to assemble

• Structurally safe and climate-responsive

• Dignified, humane, and culturally sensitive

• Adaptable from temporary shelter to semi-permanent housing

• Scalable for different disaster contexts and locations

The proposal should balance urgency with quality of life, addressing both immediate needs and long-term recovery.

The Building Program

The design may include (but is not limited to):

• Housing unit(s) for a family or small group

• Sleeping, living, and basic hygiene spaces

• Cooking or food preparation area (shared or private)

• Storage for personal belongings

• Provision for ventilation, daylight, and thermal comfort

• Structural system suited for rapid construction

• Option for incremental expansion or adaptation

• Shared/community spaces (optional but encouraged)

Site

The site is hypothetical and adaptable. Participants may choose a disaster-prone context such as:

• Flood-affected river plains

• Earthquake zones

• Cyclone or hurricane-prone coastal regions

• Post-wildfire settlements

• Conflict or displacement zones

Designs should clearly state the assumed disaster type and climatic context, demonstrating responsiveness to local conditions.